Lilies and Chamomile
by CreationsGoneAwry
Summary: As a young woman, Lillie longs to meet the boy she fell in love with twelve years ago. The feeling grows stronger with each passing spring. / As a young man, Kamil lost the woman he loved to someone else as a result of waiting too long. Now he's afraid of losing somebody else he used to be close with. / Written for the ATWF's Bumblebee Equinox Prompt!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hi everyone! This is Lilies and Chamomile, my story for the Bumblebee Equinox prompt set up by Accidentally the Whole Fanfic (this entire sentence is a big mouthful, huh?).

These are relatively short chapters, so if you read through the entire thing in one sitting, awesome! I think it reads better that way. I'll leave a better author's note on the last chapter so as not to spoil anything here. Thank you for reading, and as always, feedback is highly appreciated!

(Also, kindly ignore any typos right now. I typed all five chapters within, like, two hours, so my fingers are tired.)

* * *

It was just like any other day.

She sat at the counter, drumming her fingers against the top of it as she waited for someone to come in.

Her thoughts wandered, ranging from the weather to the town to finally the boy she'd been waiting for. It was already twelve years ago, but she could still remember it vividly.

He came to the town with his mother and stayed at the inn. He was sweet and kind and attentive, and even though she was only ten years old at the time, she fell so in love with him. He promised he would come back, that they'd meet again someday, and she believed him.

They just had to, right? That was what always happened in fairy tales and romance novels...

But so many years had passed since then.

She was probably just a distant memory to him now, a short chapter of his life easily forgotten. That was if she was anything at all.

Still, she had to wait. No matter what she was to him, he would always remain in her heart as her Prince Charming. The boy she called Chamomile.

The reason she became a weathergirl, who showed her shy face on television all the time, was so that maybe one day he would see her and remember her and come back. Well, that and so she would have a valid excuse to stare at the clouds.

"Sis! You've got a customer!"

Lillie snapped back to reality, turning to see Melanie on the stairs, looking annoyed.

"Can't you hear the bell?!"

The bell...?

"Oh!"

She sprouted upright from her leaning position over the counter. Sure enough, an older woman stood there, wearing a gentle but tired expression.

"I'm so sorry," Lillie said, crossing her hands and bowing her head. She couldn't believe she did that again! "What can I do for you today?"

The woman just smiled and brushed it off. "I would like to rent a room, please."

Lillie nodded and began walking over to the key rack on the wall. "Do you have any preference?" she asked, looking back at her.

"No. Anything will do to escape this rain."

The woman's clothes were a bit wet, she supposed. Well, spring was generally a rainy season.

She returned her attention to the keys. Their first room upstairs was being cleaned right now, so... room 102.

She hesitated. Of course, throughout the years, countless other guests had stayed in that room before, just... each time she grabbed the key, memories flooded her mind.

"Your room number will be 102." Lillie walked over and handed her the key. "I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting." She bowed her head again.

The older woman waved her hand with a laugh. "It's quite all right. Though, aren't you a bit too old to be daydreaming?"

Lillie shook her head and smiled. "Not when you have something to dream about."

"Oh?"

"Never mind that!" Melanie suddenly piped up, having been there the whole time. "I'll show you where the room is."

Lillie silently thanked her with a nod. She must have known how awkward that was.

At least she didn't know the real reason she was spacing out. If she did, she'd tease and scold her day in and day out. Just who was the younger sister, really? Especially when the older one spent all her time fantasizing about her prince showing up.

She'd been zoning out more and more lately, because it was finally the beginning of spring.

The flowers were blooming, the weather was clearing, and the people were growing livelier.

This was her favorite season. This was when she met Kamil.

…

He arranged the flowers just as he had hundreds of times before, making sure everything was perfect. The soft white of both flowers made it his most requested arrangement for weddings.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned around. It was a woman, the woman he'd thought might one day become his mother-in-law.

"Oh, this is absolutely gorgeous!" she exclaimed.

They both stepped back to look at the bouquet. It was always gorgeous because there wasn't a bad flower in the bunch. Each and every flower was hand-picked, the purest white one could find.

"It isn't hard as long as you have the right resources," he said, brushing it off. He was considered a professional, but it didn't take much skill to arrange flowers in a wrap.

The woman smiled nonetheless. "This is why I requested you, Kamil. You're so humble and kind... Why couldn't my daughter have picked you instead?"

She gasped and covered her mouth to hide it. "Not that I dislike Ash at all! But I think she could use a quiet man like you. You two would have been a better match, in my opinion."

Kamil just returned her smile. They wouldn't have been a better match. There was a reason why Ash was in the picture and not him. "No. I believe the right man is up there with her. It's what she wants."

She nodded. "You're right. I'm just relieved she's finally happy. After her father passed, it was as if she couldn't smile anymore. And then she suddenly wanted to move out to become a farmer, of all things... Oh, I'm sorry, Kamil. You don't need to listen to an old woman's prattling."

"It's fine."

He grabbed a broom and started sweeping the discarded petals and stems into a pile.

"Are you sure you won't stay for the ceremony? Lillian would be thrilled to have you there."

He smiled forlornly. "Yes. I have something to do."

"Is that so?"

"It's something I've been meaning to do for a long time now."

More like something he'd been running away from and avoiding for a long time now. But maybe it was a good idea to finally return.

Spring was beginning. It was the season of flowers, of nature itself, of serenity. It was the season of new beginnings and the blossoming of love.

This was when he met Lillie.

…

"Mom, look at the flowers!" Lillie exclaimed, her ten-year-old frame swaying in the spring breeze.

Her mother, Eleanor, smiled as she watched her. Maurice sat a ways back, keeping watch of the picnic basket and blanket.

"Lillie, come here," Eleanor called. When Lillie came, she plopped down on her lap. "Do you know what those flowers are called?"

Lillie looked up at her. "No, what are they?"

Eleanor smiled. "They're called lilies."

"Like my name?"

"That's right! And do you know why your name is Lillie?"

Lillie shook her head.

Eleanor held her close. "Dad and I named you Lillie because you're pure and beautiful, just like this field of white flowers. Every time I look at you, you take my breath away."

Lillie beamed and giggled, staring out at the lilies. She felt happy.

"Oh, we're sorry to intrude."

She looked over to see a lady with a boy holding her hand. She'd never seen them before.

"Not a problem. You're not intruding," Eleanor assured them.

Maurice nodded. "This meadow is for everyone."

The lady smiled. "Thank you. We'll be in town for at least a couple weeks, so I was hoping to see all of it. Oh." She tugged on the boy's hand, earning a frown from him. "This is my son, Kamil. Say hello, Kamil."

Kamil looked away.

"...He's rather shy. I'm sorry."

"That's fine - "

"Let's play, Kamil!" Lillie shouted, rising up from her mother's hold. She grabbed his other hand and looked up at his mother. "Can we, Auntie?"

"O-oh, yes, please do! I'm sure Kamil would love to."

He sure didn't look like he wanted to. That didn't stop her, though.

"Come on! I'll show you how pretty the cherry blossoms are."

With that, she dragged him away, and their new friendship began amidst chilly wind and the scent of lilies.

* * *

 _~CGA_


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning, everyone! Today we will have a bit of cloud coverage, but it's mostly warm and sunny. Enjoy the beautiful spring weather!"

After seeing off everybody at the studio, Lillie headed home. She was ready to enjoy the weather herself.

Though, a rainstorm would probably start moving in sometime this week. At least she had time to prepare for it.

She entered the inn and saw Melanie working the counter – well, seated behind it, at least. She was scattering and rearranging the office supplies. She looked up at the sound of Lillie's footsteps.

"Oh, good, you're back! Now Lutz and I can go play!"

She didn't even wait for a response, getting up and rushing out the door. Seconds later, she peeped her head back in.

"Dad's in the back getting lunch ready. Room 101's ready now, and don't start zoning out again!"

Lillie laughed and shooed her away. To think Melanie was now the same age that she was when her life changed...

Would he even recognize her if he saw her? She kept her hair cut much shorter than it used to be, and she'd gotten taller, too. Maybe she was prettier?

Today was just one of those days she couldn't stop thinking about him. She sighed, taking a seat at the counter.

After a while, she had Melanie's mess of office supplies put away, so she laid her head down on her arms to rest. Work days throughout the week were always especially stressful, particularly because of the commute.

But she had to admit, sometimes she wished she could stay outside of town a little longer. Sometimes running the inn was... boring.

That was life here in Oak Tree, though. Nothing ever really happened. Everybody was so excited when there were rumors of a new farmer moving in, but she turned out to be just as quiet and peace-loving as the rest of the town.

Lillie didn't exactly want to move away, but she was longing for at least a little excitement.

She heard footsteps from the staircase and raised her head up to look. It was the woman from the other day who rented room 102.

She made her way over to the counter and handed her the key. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Lillie straightened in her seat. "O-of course! It's our pleasure!"

The woman smiled. "How much do I owe you?"

"For three nights? Ah... six hundred gold, please."

Her eyes widened. "That's awfully cheap. Have you ever considered raising the rate?"

Lillie shook her head. "There's no need. We just do what we can for people who come to tour the town."

"How generous and humble. If only all small town inns were like this." She dug through her purse for the coins and set them on the counter.

Lillie bowed her head. "I hope you enjoyed your stay."

The woman smiled warmly. "Yes, thank you. And don't worry, dear. He'll come back. They all do someday."

Lillie nodded. Was she that easy to read? "Thank you for choosing our inn. Take care."

The older woman left through the door. Just a few minutes later, Maurice emerged from the kitchen.

"Oh, she just left? I thought I heard her voice."

Lillie nodded.

"Darn," he said. "And I just got done making the soup."

She laughed and stood up, taking the room key back to the wall. "I'll eat with you, Dad."

He nodded. "All right. After that, I'll take over. You probably want to go out with Angela, don't you?"

She thought for a moment, then nodded again. "Yeah. Thanks."

Maybe it would be good to get her mind off of things for a while.

…

"And here is the inn," Veronica finished, gesturing to the large building in front of her. "I assume you will be staying here?"

Kamil nodded. "Yes."

When Veronica guided him around the town, he took notice of just how different it was. There were several buildings he didn't recognize, but then again, maybe it was just that his memory was failing.

He was positive this was the same Oak Tree Town. It had to be. Twelve years had passed, after all, so it was only natural for there to be changes; the inn, for example, seemed to have undergone some remodeling.

"If you have any other questions, you can find me at the guild hall just a short walk away," Veronica told him, cutting into his thoughts. "Or you could just ask the innkeepers. They are quite knowledgeable about the town, as well."

She started walking away, oblivious to Kamil's hand trying to stop her. He still had questions, but he hesitated, unsure if they were appropriate to ask somebody completely unrelated.

Was she still here? How old was she now? Did she still remember him?

...Those were things he needed to learn for himself, and there was only one way to do that.

He walked up to the door and took a deep breath. Then he pushed it open with one hand, suitcase in the other, and entered.

"Welcome!"

There was a man he didn't recognize standing behind the reception counter. He was wearing a light brown blazer and crossing his arms like he was bored or cold. Contrary to that, though, a huge grin spread across his face.

"Ah, hi."

The décor hadn't changed. There were still the same paintings hanging on the wall, the same boar's head that always scared him when he was younger, and the same carpet running all the way through to the upstairs.

That meant even though the outside had changed, nothing inside had. He hoped that was the case for a certain person, too.

"What can I do for you today?" the man asked in a chipper voice.

Kamil stepped up to the counter, setting down his suitcase beside him. "Can I get a room?"

The man nodded. "Sure! Got any preference?"

"Room 102," he responded without hesitation. Then he glanced to the side. Did he say that too eagerly?

"You've stayed with us before?" the man asked, seemingly paying no mind.

"Ah... yes." He had, in fact.

The man's expression turned from shock to happiness. "Great! It's always good to know our customers like us that much."

He stepped away and looked on the key rack. He pulled off one set and returned to the counter. "So actually, another guest just checked out of that room about an hour ago. We have to clean it up and change the sheets yet. If you really want that particular room, though, it'll just be a short wait."

Kamil thought it over. "I'll take a different room."

"You sure?"

He nodded. "Yes. It's no big deal."

After all, just because something was different on the outside didn't mean it wasn't the same on the inside.

Maybe he could make new memories in room 103 instead.

…

"So your name is Kamil?"

The boy nodded shyly, saying nothing in response.

Lillie thought for a moment. "It's not 'kuh-meel,' it's 'kuh-mil.' That means I probably shouldn't give you a girl's name."

He watched her with confused eyes.

She giggled. "I give nicknames to all my friends! Like um, Angela, she's Lala, and sometimes I call Raeger Rae Rae or Grr. He doesn't like those very much..."

Kamil took a few steps back.

"But Kamil... I'm not sure. Do you want something cool or cute, or both?"

He shrugged indifferently, and Lillie just frowned.

"Don't you want to be friends?"

His eyes widened and he spoke at last. "You... want to be friends with me?"

"Duh! Silly." She stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed his hand, leading him underneath a large tree. The sun was pretty hot for spring.

She let go of his hand and they sat together in the grass, shoulders touching. In the distance they could see Lillie's parents and Kamil's mother, talking and laughing.

"I think Mom and Dad like your mom," she said quietly.

He nodded beside her, watching the same scene.

Lillie smiled, though she looked down. "That's good. Dad doesn't really talk to anyone except Mom, but she's not always here. She works at the news station, where they do the weather on television."

She brought her head back up to look at him. "Where's your dad?"

Kamil stared straight ahead. "I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

Everybody in town had two parents, even the adults she knew. Raeger's parents didn't love each other anymore so they divorced, but they still visited him and his grandpa, and Angela's dad was just away on business a lot. So why...

"Mom told me he went upstairs."

Lillie tilted her head. "Upstairs? Do you live downstairs?"

He shook his head, then pointed up at the sky. "Up there."

She craned her neck to look, but she didn't see anything. Were there stairs up there? "He's in the sky?"

"Yeah. Mom said that's where people go when they die."

Her face fell. "Oh." She didn't know that was what he meant. But up in the sky? What was he doing up there?

They sat in silence for a few minutes until she spoke up again, not really liking the atmosphere.

"How old are you?"

Kamil turned to her. "Eleven."

"Oh!" She sat up excitedly. "I'll be eleven in summer."

A light breeze blew by, rustling the leaves and flowers. Among them, small white flowers with bright yellow in the middle caught her attention. What were those called again?

"Chamomile!" she exclaimed.

Kamil looked confused. "What?"

She grinned. "Your name can be Chamomile. It goes right with your name – Kamil and Chamomile!"

He nodded, smiling a little.

"Now we match! I was named Lillie after white lilies, Mom's favorite flower, so now you can be a white flower, too!"

"Lillie, come over here and eat!" Eleanor called from the picnic blanket.

"Yay!" Lillie shouted. "Let's go, Chamomile!"

She grabbed his hand, and they both got up to run over to where the food was. Their friendship was just beginning.

* * *

 _~CGA_


	3. Chapter 3

"You're still thinking about that?" Angela asked incredulously.

Lillie nodded hesitantly. Angela probably remembered him at least a little bit, but she wouldn't be as preoccupied. She didn't spend nearly as much time with him as Lillie did.

"I can't get him out of my head," she admitted.

Angela sat down next to her on the sofa. "You get like this every spring," she said with a gentle laugh. "We're getting older now. I really think it's time to forget about him."

"If it was that easy, I would have done it already..." Lillie sighed. Maybe it was because after she met him, she and Angela transferred to an all-girls school? She wasn't around any other boys besides Raeger... Well, until Nadi and Fritz moved in, but by then, she was already set in her ways; she was too far gone to be bothered by them.

"We all cling to something from our childhood in hopes of keeping our innocence. I think... you're clinging to him because he was once important to you."

"He still, is, Angela!"

"I know." Angela smiled. "But you never know who's pining for you while you're stuck chasing a dream."

Lillie frowned. What did she mean by that? Didn't she feel the same way, too? After her father announced his business trip twelve years ago, he hadn't come back once. She had to be clinging to something too, right?

Angela patted her back. "I'm not telling you to abandon all hope, but a little birdie told me there's somebody in town wishing you would look his way. Somebody we've known for a long time..."

She blinked in confusion. If it wasn't Kamil, then... Raeger? He was the only other one she'd 'known for a long time.'

No way. Raeger couldn't possibly feel that way. He had girls falling all over him, so there was no way he even noticed her anymore. He was too busy with the restaurant, anyway.

Besides, Angela was probably only saying that to rile her up and make her forget about Kamil.

Suddenly, she didn't feel very talkative anymore. "I should go back and clean up that room. It'll start getting busier from now on."

Angela watched her leave with a sad expression, but she didn't push anymore.

When Lillie exited the guilt hall, she saw Melanie just outside. "Melanie?"

She turned around. "Oh! There you are, Sis! I knew I should've checked Angela's house first!"

"Did you need me?"

"Yeah!" Melanie walked closer. "Well, Dad needs one of us, anyway. There's a guest right now and since Dad's cleaning up and making dinner, he wanted you or me to show him around."

Him? It was a male guest? Lately, they'd had a lot of women...

"Dad says he looks like your type," Melanie added teasingly.

"D-Dad did?!" He was always embarrassing her! He didn't say anything unnecessary, did he?

Melanie giggled. "Do you want to go?"

Well, she should at least clear the air... She didn't want someone feeling uncomfortable because of her weird innkeeper dad.

But on the other hand... she really wasn't in the right mindset to escort someone around.

Lillie shook her head. "No. You should greet him, Melanie. Maybe he'll tell you some stories."

Melanie stomped her foot and put on her pouting face. "Okay... but if he asks me out and not you, don't blame me!"

Lillie laughed, then sighed after she left. If her little sister got a boyfriend before she did, she didn't know what she'd do. It was strange to even think about.

She took a short walk to the train station near the trading depot. She sat down on the bench, watching the birds roam around and peck at the ground.

Maybe it really _was_ time to forget about Kamil.

It was hard to think that wouldn't meet again, but what if they didn't? She couldn't keep waiting forever. She certainly wasn't getting any younger – she'd turn twenty-three soon.

While he left and explored the world, she stayed and waited in the small town. Things only changed if you made them.

As she stared out into nature, her depressing thoughts consumed her.

He wasn't coming back. She just had to accept that.

…

The white flowers looked good together, even when they weren't in a bouquet.

As he made the final adjustments to the vase, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," he said naturally, because there was no way it would be that easy to meet her.

The door opened, though, and there she was. Kamil almost gasped.

Long brown hair down her back, gentle but playful blue eyes, petite figure...

"What year is it?" he heard himself ask.

"Huh?"

"Um... nothing." He covered his mouth with his hand and turned away. It just slipped out because of the similarities. Their likeness was uncanny, but he couldn't believe it. He didn't think she had a younger sister. Could she be...? _How_ many years had passed?

No... It was just his mind playing tricks on him. She couldn't still be here after all these years. She had dreams that were supposed to take her far away. She was bigger than this small town.

Besides, he hadn't seen her in town at all, and Veronica made it a point to give him a thorough tour. If she was really still here, then where was she hiding?

He supposed that innkeeper looked a bit like her father, but... he only vividly remembered Lillie and her mother. He had yet to see either of them.

Maybe they moved and the inn changed hands. There wasn't any other way to explain all these coincidences...

The girl giggled in front of him. "You're weird and spacey, just like my sister."

He found himself smiling at that.

"Anyway," she said, "Dad wants me to take you out and show you around town."

Her father? Did she mean the innkeeper? She had her work cut out for her. Still, coincidence after coincidence. Lillie's father was the innkeeper as well, wasn't he?

"No, that's all right. Veronica gave me the grand tour earlier."

"Mm..." She pouted. "C'mon, please! I can introduce you to everyone!" She grabbed his arm and started yanking him with her tiny strength.

"Wh-whoa!" He was actually being pulled? She was stronger than she looked.

And the harder he looked, the more differences he could discern between the two.

She wasn't here. He just had to accept that.

…

"Chamomile!"

Lillie found him on the bench in front of the inn, looking down at the ground. He didn't even acknowledge her.

She sat down next to him. "Is something wrong?"

He finally looked up and shook his head. "No."

She pouted, biting her cheek. "Then why do you look so sad?"

Kamil glanced at her, then returned his attention to the ground. "Because Mom chose another guy over me again."

"She did?"

He nodded. "I can't go to the inn right now."

The gears started to turn in her little mind. Was that... that thing adults did in those books and movies? She suddenly felt shy.

"Well, even if your mom won't, I'll always put you first!" she said proudly, grinning. "You're my most important best friend. But don't tell Angela because she might get mad."

Kamil chuckled a little. "Okay. I won't tell." He paused to look up at the sky. "You're my best friend, too."

"Yay!"

She threw her head back and stared up at the same group of clouds. "You know, Angela and I want to be nurses when we're older, but she says it's a lot of work so I don't think I can do it. But I think I know what I really wanna do when I grow up."

"What?"

She smiled. "I want to be a weather teller."

"A weather _girl?_ " he asked, correcting her.

"Yeah! That sounds better!"

Lillie stood up and tilted her head back. All sorts of different cloud formations were up there. She wondered which one...

"What are you doing?" Kamil asked. He stood beside her.

"I'm looking for your dad."

He blinked. "My... dad?"

She nodded. "You said he went to the sky."

They stared together, neither one speaking for a few minutes. The clouds separated and formed new, different shapes. Lillie watched, fascinated.

Then she felt him grip her hand.

She looked over at him, eyes widening when she saw he was crying. "Chamomile?"

He wiped his eyes with his free hand and shook his head. "I don't want to forget Dad like Mom did. And I don't want to forget you, either."

"Why would you forget me?"

"Because we're leaving tomorrow."

The strength left Lillie's hand and she let it fall out of his. "What...? But you were supposed to stay for - "

"Mom doesn't want to stay," he said, cutting her off. "We were supposed to stay for a couple weeks, but Mom said she doesn't like the air here."

She willed herself not to cry, clenching her fists. She shook her head and mustered up a smile. "Okay! Then just watch the clouds some more with me."

He nodded after a while and tilted his head back.

"No, not here." She grabbed his hand and started leading him away. "Let's go to the meadow."

* * *

 _~CGA_


	4. Chapter 4

"Sis!"

Lillie snapped her head up to look at Melanie. "What?"

"He was really cute! You definitely would've liked him."

She smiled faintly and returned her attention to her food. "Maybe. But that's okay."

She was still waiting. He might not have shown up again, and that was all right, but she had to hold onto at least some hope.

"We talked about you a lot, too!"

"Wh-what?" she asked, bewildered. Why would her sister and a total stranger be talking about her? What about, exactly?

"Yeah!" Melanie laughed at her reaction. "I told him about you and how spacey you are sometimes, and he smiled like he was interested. He even asked for your name!"

Lillie's heartbeat suddenly skyrocketed. "D-did you tell him?"

There was no such thing as a coincidence, right? Everything happened for a reason, right?

"Of course I did!" Melanie pouted.

"Did... did you catch his name?"

Suddenly, that tiny glimmer of hope shined brightly. It had to be him. She knew deep down that Angela was right, that she had to forget about him already, but what if he hadn't, either? What if he still remembered their promise, too, twelve years later?

"Hmm... No, he didn't tell me."

"...Oh."

And just like that, her hope had vanished. She knew it was too good to be true. Why wouldn't he give his name if he was trying to honor their promise?

She didn't know the answer. She didn't know if she even wanted to. It was probably somebody else.

"I think he's taking a walk around the hills right now," Melanie said. "You should go see him! Stop daydreaming about the perfect boyfriend and go meet him already!"

"Melanie..." She turned her head away, embarrassed to be told off by her little sister. It wasn't exactly that simple.

Well, at least their dad wasn't there to further it along.

Lillie sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll go out after dinner."

"Good!"

She cleaned up the dishes and headed out. The winding hills were just outside of town. She took in a deep breath, then let it out to calm herself.

This was it. This was the final length she was willing to go to. If she saw him, then she would be the happiest she'd ever been in her life. But if she didn't, well...

Then she'd give up for good.

…

He sat alone on a tree stump, presumably freshly-cut judging by the smell and sawdust. This area was well-maintained. It was starting to bring back memories he wanted to forget.

He sighed. Was doing this a mistake? From his earlier talk with the young girl, it almost sounded like the person he was looking for was still here, right in front of him.

But did he still have the right to see her? Did he ever? Assuming the best, that she still lived here and remembered him, did she want to see him, too?

What if she didn't feel the same? What if she already had someone else in mind?

Or worse yet, what if this was just him rebounding? After all, it was an impulsive decision coming here.

Maybe he didn't really need to be here. What would he contribute, anyway? It wasn't like they still had undying love for each other, and they certainly wouldn't know anything about each other anymore.

Maybe things would somehow work themselves out if he moved back to Bluebell. He resisted the urge to scoff at that. All that was left for him there was another woman who'd chosen someone else over him.

And that was probably how it was here, too. Normal girls her age were thinking about marriage and family prospects. He didn't need to ruin that. He didn't need to cause any more trouble than he already had just by being here.

Maybe he could go somewhere else entirely. Flower arrangement wasn't a job he needed to be tied down for.

This sudden impulse to chase after the girl he was twelve years too late for needed to stop.

So he stood up and walked away, leaving the farmland in its early spring evening darkness. If this was the season of romance and new beginnings, then he must have been the unluckiest person alive.

He bent around the twists and turns, the ups and downs, of the winding path through the hills. It was almost like how his life had been going recently. At the end of the path, there would be nothing waiting for him, nobody to welcome him back.

He couldn't be Chamomile any longer. He was just Kamil.

A wry laugh escaped from his throat. Maybe it was the flowers. He had to let go of the lilies so he could find his own chamomile.

Or something poetic like that.

…

"Did you find your dad yet?"

Kamil shook his head but smiled. "No, but I won't ever stop looking."

"Do you really think he's up there?" Lillie pestered. "What's he doing?"

"I'm not sure... but if he is, he's watching me. He's probably mad that Mom forgot about him so easily."

She listened to him silently, still unsure how that felt. She felt bad that he had to go through that, but she hoped she wouldn't ever have to. She couldn't imagine life without her mom or dad.

She lay back on the ground and watched the clouds some more.

"You know, Chamomile, you can see a lot of stuff in the sky just from the ground. The clouds move so much and sometimes they hide the sun." She smiled. "I want to know why they do that. And I want to know why people we love have to be with them."

Kamil grabbed her hand and clutched it tightly. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Can we make a promise?" he asked shyly, quietly.

She nodded, but he couldn't see. "Yeah."

"Can we promise to meet again... even if a lot of time goes by?"

A smile spread across her lips. "Of course. Even if twenty years pass and we're old like our parents!"

"Okay."

Lillie squeezed his hand and closed her eyes. "I'll still love you more than anyone else, Chamomile."

He squeezed back. "Yeah. Me, too."

They lay in silence for a long while, sunlight beaming down on them. It was warm and comfortable in these quiet spring moments they shared.

"Chamomile," she called out, sitting up, "do you know what people do to make a real promise?"

"What? Is it like a pinky promise?"

She shook her head. "That's for little promises. For a _real_ promise, you have to seal it with a kiss."

He sat up and looked over at her. "A real kiss?"

"Yeah! Real promise, real kiss!" She pouted. "If we really want to see each other again, we have to do it!"

"...Okay."

Lillie leaned in closer to him, her hand under his, and closed her eyes. She didn't know what shape to make with her lips so she just kept them straight.

"Well see each other again," Kamil said, his breath directly in front of her. It tickled, but she didn't back away.

Then their lips touched for just a split second. Lillie pulled back, surprised by the contact. She opened her eyes and stared at him. He stared back.

"Now it has to come true someday," she said.

He nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

 _~CGA_


	5. Chapter 5

Lillie huffed and panted as she jogged around the empty fields, searching for any sort of sign that was he was here. So far, there wasn't anything, and she only had one more spot left to check.

She came to the last area. Zephyr Hill, or something like that, she believed.

There, the only thing she saw of interest was a tree stump. It was an evergreen. There was sap coming out of the side of it. Was it freshly cut?

Nevertheless, that wasn't the most interesting thing. The flower on top of the stump had her falling to her knees.

A lone chamomile sat there. The pure white petals drew in the moonlight, illuminating just that tiny area, like a spotlight.

She reached out to grab it and held it close. She memorized its scent. He was here. He remembered her, and their promise. She should have gone to see him. Tears rolled down her cheek.

She looked up at the nighttime spring sky. Her mother... she was probably watching her even now, judging by that one bright star up there. But she didn't want her mother to see her like this.

Spring was a cruel season. She thought it would be enough to know that he remembered her. It had to be enough.

But she couldn't stop herself from chasing after him, anyway. She couldn't let this be the last time she saw him.

Chamomile wasn't enough. She had to see Kamil, no matter if he was the same or not.

She ran around the winding paths, ignoring the chill of the night as it grazed her skin. She held the chamomile blossom tightly.

Her feet took her all the way through town, past the inn, past the guild hall, past the restaurant. If he was leaving, if he was still here for just a moment, he would be at the station.

When she got there at long last, she heard the crickets chirp. She saw the moon creep over the tops of the buildings, the breeze carrying the few pieces of littered paper. But he wasn't here.

She walked over to one of the benches and sat down. So that was it. She wouldn't see him again.

She looked down at the white flower and closed her eyes, feeling tears prick the corners of them. She should have expected this. Nothing ever worked out like a fairy tale, so why had she been expecting it to for so long?

He was gone. He wasn't coming back. She couldn't say hello or goodbye, or ask him if he remembered her or their promise, or if he ever found his father up there in the sky and if along the way, he'd met her mother.

She shook her head. She'd had enough of this.

It was time to move on and find a guy who would put her first, make promises and keep them.

Forget Prince Charming. This time she was out for Mr. Perfect.

"Oh, it's you, Lillie."

She turned around immediately, startled. "Raeger?"

He chuckled lightly. "I was bringing out the trash and heard footsteps running. You look terrible."

She scoffed and nodded. "Thanks."

"No, I mean it," he said, as if that would make her feel better. He walked over to her and sat down. "What's the matter?"

She shook her head, fighting the tears. "He... he..."

Raeger shrugged off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Then he pulled her into his torso and held her as she sobbed. "It's all right. Let it all out. I'm here for you."

Spring nights were cold and cruel. It was during one of them that Kamil left, another when she lost her mother, and yet another right now when she lost her composure.

It might have been the season of new beginnings, but she was sure she'd like summer better.

…

Bluebell was the same as always. Lillian's wedding reception and celebration were over, and the town was back to normal. There wasn't anything else exciting happening now.

A few people had come to see him since his return, but he was alone. He holed himself up in his room at the cafe.

He mostly spent his time coming up with new flower arrangements, even though he always ended up going back to the same one.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Laney came in a few seconds later, balancing a tray on her flat hand.

"What's that?" he asked.

She set it down on the table. "Tom yum goong soup."

He sighed disapprovingly. "Laney, you can't keep spoiling me." He was twenty-three years old...

Laney shook her head. "You need to keep your energy up somehow. Why not with your favorite food?"

He smiled faintly and stepped away from his work. "Thanks."

"Yep!"

He cleared a spot on the table and sat down to eat. It was always delicious. He had Howard to thank for teaching Laney how to cook.

Laney looked around the room awkwardly before resting her eyes on the bouquet. "So what do you call this arrangement again? It's my favorite."

Kamil stared at the white flowers together. Most people wouldn't recognize the chamomile flower, but lilies were very common.

The arrangement itself wasn't anything special, but the emotions it invoked from so many different people kept him making it.

He wasn't even sure which woman he'd started this for anymore: the woman of his dreams who chose his best friend over him, or his childhood love who was too far out of his reach. Which was the replacement for the other?

Either way, they were both just a lily that would never bloom for him. Maybe he'd try his hand again next spring.

"It's called Lilies and Chamomile."

…

Lillie sobbed and sobbed, clinging to Kamil as tightly as she could. He kept his arms around her, awkwardly embracing her.

"You'll come back, right?" she managed to ask, looking up at him.

He nodded. "We promised."

"Kamil! We have to go!" his mother called.

He frowned. "The train will be here soon."

Lillie sniffed and stepped back. She wiped her eyes. "Okay. Remember, this isn't goodbye, it's - "

"See you later," he finished for her.

She nodded. "Yeah."

Kamil started walking away, but she tugged on his sleeve. "Chamomile."

He turned around.

"Don't forget our promise. Y-you can't take it back 'cause it's a first kiss."

"Yeah." He smiled widely. "See you, Lillie."

"See you."

Lillie watched him finally walk away, tears blurring her vision.

"Oh, honey, you're crying."

She looked around, but her parents were a ways back. That was Kamil's mom, then?

She smiled despite herself. His mom didn't choose another guy over him, after all. She hoped he would remember that, too.

When they got on the train, she turned around. This wasn't goodbye, so she didn't want to see him leave.

She passed by Raeger, who must have been watching the entire time. She avoided eye contact. He would just make fun of her.

But he grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Raeger?"

He smiled at her. "I'm sure you'll see him again."

She returned it. "Y-yeah!"

* * *

 **A/N:** So there you have it. Lilies and Chamomile. Nothing fancy, but the emotions it invokes from so many different people make it special. I hope this story gave you at least some feels, as it's been in the making for about a month and a half.

It's not romance, not angst, not friendship (except for Lillie and Angela/Lala's relationship), but... a coming-of-age story? Is being a twenty-something even considered coming-of-age? I'm not sure, but that's what I tried to do here.

In any case, I absolutely loved writing this, the gentle vibe of spring mixed with the crazy emotions of both children and adults who are struggling to come to terms with a relationship that can't be. I love exploring and experimenting with different sides of the HM/SoS characters, as there's so much that _could_ be that just _isn't._ I hope I didn't take it too far.

Thanks so much for reading, and I'll be really happy if you enjoyed it! Add it to your favorites or leave a review if you want to make me even happier :)

* * *

 _~CGA_


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